Golf in this part of Wales is unhurried, with the greenest of greens (helped by a regular rain shower or two) and very special views. Some of our most famous golf courses are worth a taxi ride from the canal but others are just a short walk away from the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal. Yes, you really can bring your golf clubs on holiday, cruise along the canal, moor up and enjoy a round of golf.

The nearest golf course is the 9-hole Old Rectory Golf and Country Club in Llangattock which borders the canal, and offers splendid views of Table Mountain above Crickhowell. Also close to the waterway are the 9-hole Brecon Golf Club and the 18-hole Monmouthshire Golf Club near Abergavenny, both originally designed by the renowned golf course architect, James Braid, and both located alongside the river Usk in stunning scenery.

Further afield, you’ll find Woodlake Park Golf and Country Club - overlooking Llandegfedd Reservoir near Pontypool, and Wernddu Golf Club just outside Abergavenny - offering an 18-hole golf course, floodlit driving range and a 9-hole pitch and putt.

For something particularly special, head to the Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club, a magnificent parkland course within the Rolls Estate, former home of motoring pioneer and aviator Charles Stewart Rolls.

Or enjoy the superb facilities at the Celtic Manor Resort, home of the 2010 Ryder Cup. Both of these exceptional golf clubs can be reached by taxi within 25 minutes of leaving the canal. Perhaps the best combination of fantastic facilities, super scenery and close proximity to the Mon & Brec is to be found at Cradoc Golf Club, a few miles outside Brecon at the northern end of the canal. This 18-hole parkland course has a hilltop location with spectacular views dominated by the distinctive, flat-topped summit of Pen y Fan, the highest peak in southern Britain. Facilities include a 10-bay floodlit covered driving range with a double teaching bay, and an adjacent two-acre chipping and bunker practice area. Everything you’ll need for a great round of golf... if you can take your eyes off the breathtaking scenery!

Although, for those of you who concur with the thought that ‘golf is a good walk spoiled’, perhaps you’d rather look at the many other activities and attractions near the canal.

The Monmouthshire & Brecon canal for golfers

We’re excited to show our latest boat Merlin in the very early stages of her development. The steel shell was fabricated by Jim and his team at Alexander Boat Builders in Stourport-on-Severn. They did such a great job on last year’s narrowboat, Hawk, that we had no hesitation in asking them to help us with Merlin.

She arrived by low loader a few weeks ago and is now safely in our shed where our talented team of craftspeople are hard at work. The initial jobs were to paint her exterior in Beacon Park Boat’s classic colours of green and cream and add the spray foam insulation to make sure she’s cosy during the spring and autumn months. Then we put the wiring in, and battened and boarded the inside.

Merlin's vital statistics are 6'10" wide, 60'0" long, maximum headroom 6'3", 2 bedrooms, 2 shower rooms and an additional bed in the lounge so she can sleep 6 people. Of course there’s central heating, fully-opening double glazed windows and roof hatches, porcelain sanitaryware, full size appliances neatly arranged in the kitchen, luxury mattresses and all the usual high specifications that you expect from Beacon Park Boats. But you’ll have to wait a while to see these features as she’s still very much a shell. We’ve added some photographs to Merlin’s page on this site to give an idea of what she’ll look like, along with a detailed plan of her layout.

When designing Merlin, back last autumn, we decided to combine the elegant forward section found on Osprey with the style of bedroom we used on Hawk, the narrowboat we built for this season which has proved very popular. So on Merlin you can expect to see a large canopied front deck which can be enclosed to create a conservatory feel and a lounge featuring a wood-burning effect gas fire. The two fixed beds measure 4ft x 6ft 4” and the middle bed pulls out, cleverly creating space on either side of the bed and allowing space for your feet to hang over the end of the bed if you’re tall!

We’ll now be embarking upon all of the other remaining tasks over the coming months to get her ready for her first customers on 19th March 2016. Remarkably, holidays on Merlin are already starting to sell. We’ll post more photos of Merlin as the work progresses, so keep an eye on this blog.

First look at our new narrowboat Merlin

As you probably know, the Canal & River Trust (CRT) is the body that cares for the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, along with a further 2,000 miles of the inland waterway network across England and Wales. To maintain this important heritage structure in good working order is a constant challenge for Operations Supervisor Kevin Phillips and his team based at Govilon. They use a combination of innovative techniques and traditional skills.

In last winter’s planned maintenance programme, they had to carry out major works between bridges 47 and 55 near the southern end of the waterway. Usually this would mean de-watering a large section of the canal so they’d have to get all the boats moved and undertake a fish rescue (where the fish are caught and moved to a different section of canal). On this occasion Kevin’s team used portable flexible dams on either side of bridges 47 and 55 which saved a vast amount of money and resulted in the job being completed in a short period of time.

Looking ahead to the planned maintenance for winter 2015/16, the tasks are expected to include re-lining the aqueduct at Goytre Wharf, re-lining the canal between bridges 131 and 132 at Llangynidr and the construction of retaining walls near bridge 103 at Gilwern to support the new roads being built as part of the A465 dualling scheme. It sounds like it’ll be a very busy time!

It’s great to see that CRT is ensuring that the historic techniques needed to maintain this picturesque waterway are passed onto the next generation. Operations Supervisor Kevin Phillips now has two enthusiastic trainees on his team. Rob Weatherley and Kate McCulloch are working towards an NVQ level two in Heritage Waterways Management that will equip them with traditional skills in lime mortaring, stone masonry and carpentry. By learning the skills that were used to build the canal 200 years ago, they’ll help keep it running today.

Dredging is a regular task on the Mon & Brec as silt builds up easily on the base of the channel due to its location. Rain water running from the hills brings soil into the waterway and leaves fall into the water each autumn from the trees that line its banks.

It’s crucial that this unwanted silt is removed to enable boats to move along the canal easily – after all, the maximum depth of the canal is just 3 feet. Using a floating dredger, the debris is cleared from the bottom of the canal, and a grader separates the waste into silt and stones.

The fine silt is then spread on neighbouring farmers' fields, proving to be an excellent fertiliser. This process shows how sustainable management of the waterways can benefit everyone. In amongst the silt there are often some unusual items; recent finds include coins from the 1880s, a gold ring, brass shotgun shells and the expected old bikes and rubbish. Perhaps the most unusual thing to turn up was an entire bus stop sign including its 6 metre post!

We’ll return to the CRT team for an update in the winter. In the meantime, read more about their crucial work on the Mon & Brec.

Canal & River Trust promotes traditional skills and dredges up some interesting finds

With the sun shining and National Picnic Week in mind, here are a few of our favourite places to stop for a picnic. Set off on your bike, by foot or even on a day boat. Remember there’s no shortage of independent shops and market stalls in Abergavenny, Crickhowell and Brecon to stock up on tasty food and thirst-quenching drinks before you head out.

Plenty of green space, picnic benches, toilets and a children’s play area. Watch the boats coming and going, and perhaps take a walk through Goytre Hall Wood – it’s an ideal route for families with buggies.   

A peaceful spot with a wooden bench and beautiful views along the Usk valley.

From the picnic tables, there’s always something to watch as the narrowboats negotiate the series of five locks at Llangynidr. Nearby there's a pub for extra refreshment.

Between Brynich lock and Brynich aqueduct you’ll find a super spot with picnic tables. It's a lovely stroll here from the end of the canal at Brecon. The towpath crosses the aqueduct so you'll get super views of the river Usk below.

The starting point of the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal has plenty to see and do, with a theatre, bistro, and pretty canal side cottages. Children will enjoy the play area nearby, and the towpath is perfect for an afternoon stroll.

Discover other places to visit along the canal on our interactive map.

5 top picnic spots on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

If you've been following our blog during the past 10 months you'll know that each year we design and build a new addition to our fleet. Back in July 2014 we started work on Hawk - a traditional narrowboat for up to 6 people - and we've written a number of updates about her progress. However, it's only now that we're getting around to giving you the final instalment in the story of Hawk's development.

After a hectic few final weeks of work we were ready to launch Hawk onto the canal in early March. We carefully inched her out of our industrial unit in Llangattock and craned her onto a lorry for the 2-mile journey to the Mon & Brec Canal at Gilwern.

Then the crane gently lowered her onto the canal, stopping a few inches above the water for our tradition of the naming ceremony!

Sarah smashed a bottle of bubbly on the bow and named the boat 'Hawk' before the narrow boat was lowered the final few inches onto the canal.

There was a quick check for leaks before we set off on the cruise to our base at Llanfoist Wharf.

Our very good friends, John and Francoise, had the privilege of taking Hawk out for a week’s 'sea' trials. They returned with nothing to report, other than how well she handles and how comfortable the beds are! 

Just two days later, the first customers were boarding Hawk for a holiday. We were delighted that our most regular customers (who come all the way from Finland), were once again taking our newest boat on its first official trip. They have been visiting Beacon Park Boats twice a year for the past seven years. On their first trip of the year they always try out the 'new' boat and produce lots of invaluable feedback for us. Their second visit tends to be in early summer for two or three weeks on their favourite boat, Osprey.

With Hawk happily cruising up and down the canal we've turned our attention to next year's new boat. She's called 'Merlin' and at the moment she's just a steel shell. We'll tell you more about her in the coming months but, for now, take a look at the finished Hawk in this gallery of photos. 

Launch of our new luxury narrowboat Hawk

The RHS flower show has come to town. Well, it’s actually in Cardiff, about 45 minutes away, but close enough for garden lovers across South Wales to get their floral fix. The setting, in Bute Park - the extensive parkland surrounding Cardiff Castle - is superb. It has the largest number of champion trees (the tallest or broadest examples of their species) of any public park in the UK, and is a wonderful place to wander in any season. The show (17-19 April 2015) offers gardening talks and demonstrations from RHS experts and growers alike, activities for families (and children get in for free), plants galore, as well as the amazing, themed Show Gardens. Once the weekend is over, there’ll be no shortage of gardening inspiration because there are some amazing gardens, both large and small, near the Mon & Brec Canal.

Glanusk Estate opens its gates to visitors on Sunday 26th April, with artisan craftsmen displaying their wares including bespoke furniture, hand-turned wooden garden items, Welsh slateware, home grown plants and architectural salvage items. The garden is a colourful array of plants including rhododendrons, azaleas, acers, camelias, magnolia, prunus and dogwood, and homemade teas will be served.

Ashford House near Talybont-on-Usk, close to the canal’s one and only tunnel, opens its 4-acres of gardens every Tuesday afternoon between April and September. It has a relaxed feel, and includes a 1-acre walled garden surrounded by woodland and wild garden.

Tretower Court and Castle includes a re-created medieval garden with cobbled yard, orchard and a meadow. Look out for their occasional special events which are particularly good for families.

Some gardens opens on selected dates as part of the National Gardens Scheme. Wenallt Isaf, near Gilwern, is a 2½ acre garden 650ft up on a north-facing hillside with magnificent views of the Black Mountains. It offers mature trees, flowering shrubs, borders, productive vegetable garden, small polytunnel, orchard, pigs, chickens, and plenty of space to run about. Ty Cam, a small, imaginatively-created garden in Talybont-on Usk, is on three levels with steps built into an old railway embankment. It includes decks, pergola, pond and waterfalls, and has a woodturning workshop, craft gallery and even some chickens! Middle Ninfa Farm is an eco-garden on the Blorenge mountain above Llanfoist Wharf. There are vegetable beds, polytunnel, greenhouses, orchard, flower borders, wild flowers and amazing views. To round off a perfect day why not wander through the beautiful 33-acre grounds of Gliffaes County House Hotel overlooking the river Usk, before enjoying traditional afternoon tea in the Italianate-style 19th century hotel. For tree-lovers, the mile-long Gliffaes Tree Walk is a must, showing off their best 40 specimens including ancient Oaks and Beeches, huge Giant Redwoods and exotic Maples and Cedars. 

We’re looking forward to 21st June when everyone in our village gets involved in Llanfoist Open Gardens weekend. We’ll be playing our part once again at Llanfoist Wharf by running boat trips and selling Sarah’s delicious cakes.

Glorious gardens near the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal

Did you know April is National Pet Month? It’s a good time to declare that we love dogs, especially our very own Buffy. We also love providing dog-friendly holidays. Visitors tell us that it can sometimes be tricky - finding accommodation that suits everyone including their pets. But here at Beacon Park Boats and Cottages we go out of our way to welcome all sorts. Dogs are regular visitors, and we’ve even had the occasional cat, a budgie and a parrot! All pets stay completely free (as long as they’re with paying guests!) and, most importantly, our cleaning regime is so thorough you'd never know a pet had stayed.

If your dog hasn’t tried life afloat yet, you might like to try a short trip on the canal. Our canoes and environmentally-friendly electric day boats can be hired from the end of the canal at Brecon for an hour or more. It’s a chance to slow down and see a different view of the Brecon Beacons, with plenty of places for picnics or a pub lunch.

Dogs are also welcome in our two cottages at Llanfoist Wharf, near Abergavenny, as long as they stay in the kitchen and lounge areas which have hard, easy-to-clean floors. It’s an amazing spot with the Blorenge mountain right behind for energetic walks and the canal towpath for a leisurely stroll. Both Incline Cottage, our cosy couple’s retreat, and Wharfinger’s Cottage that sleeps six, have waterside gardens where dogs like to laze in the shade after a hectic day out.

Narrowboat holidays on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal are perfect for dogs, with plenty of fresh air and miles of towpath to explore. If you’re concerned about your best friend taking up too much space on your boat, choose one of our wide-beam boats (8’6” wide) or consider a boat with a front canopy with roll down sides, which forms an ideal dog kennel.

Some customers with dogs like the boats that have a ‘semi-trad’ rear deck which enables them to have their dog in a contained area where they can keep an eye on them! Whichever boat you chose, we allow up to two dogs for free, and we provide a dog towel for that unexpected swimming lesson.

On a boating holiday it’s a real pleasure taking the dog for a walk each day, and you get to meet plenty of other friendly dog walkers on the towpath. Since the canal becomes narrow at each bridge, this is an ideal spot to step off the boat with your dog without the need to moor up. Then you, or your children, can walk the dog on the towpath as the narrowboat cruises alongside. There’s no need to run to keep up with the narrowboat as it cruises at a mere 2½mph. In fact, the dog walkers will be waiting at the next bridge to step back aboard! And with dog-friendly pubs along the entire waterway, there’s no need to leave your best friend behind again when you go on holiday.

Dogs stay for free

While taking a narrowboat through a lock is one of the more technical aspects of a boating holiday, it’s no reason to panic. In fact, it’s a fun part of a canal holiday and provides a little exercise!

Unlike on some of the very busy waterways, the locks on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal are not staffed and operated for you, so it’s a chance for others on the boat to get involved. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to go through a lock, and if it’s your first time, there’ll be a real sense of achievement once you’re out the other side.

In order that our visitors feel completely confident about locks, we’ve produced a video showing how they are operated on the Mon & Brec. We also give a detailed briefing to all holidaymakers before they set off on our boats.

If you still don’t fancy going through a lock, the Mon & Brec is probably the perfect choice for your boating holiday, as there are only six locks on this waterway –  a flight of five at Llangynidr and one at Brynich, near Brecon. Even better, from the southern end of the canal to Llangynidr, a distance of 25 miles, there are no locks at all. It’s one of the longest lock-free stretches in the UK’s inland waterway system and a marvel of contour canal engineering. So you can fill an entire week's holiday without having to pass through a lock.

The pretty village of Llangynidr is the place to go if you want to watch boats going through locks. Combine it with a leisurely walk along the towpath, rounded off with some refreshment in the The Coach & Horses which has a canalside beer garden or The Red Lion, with a beer garden and children’s play area, just a 10-minute walk from the canal. Check out the many other pubs near the canal on our interactive map.

Taking a narrowboat through a lock

Yes, after many months of hard work, our newest member of the Beacon Park Boats fleet is almost ready for her first guests who'll be arriving on 21st March. Hawk is a traditional narrow boat measuring 52ft 6 inches long and 6ft 10 inches wide. Styled with an Inspection Launch bow (front of the boat), she has an open cruiser deck at the stern (rear of the boat) and sleeps up to 6 people. There's been a great deal of interest in the blog posts about her progress, and she's already fully booked until late August.

It’s been an exciting few weeks in our industrial unit in Llangattock. The all-important engine has been installed and is working perfectly.

Every cupboard door has been fitted, the kitchen with its granite worktop is totally finished and the gas cooker has been tested. We’ve just completed testing all the electrics, including the fancy LED courtesy lighting with remote dimming!

So what’s left on our ‘To Do’ list? Not much at all. Jeff has to make the cabin table then Sarah will varnish it. The plumbing is almost complete and the entire floor will soon be varnished.

Last, but by no means least, Sarah has to sit at her sewing table for a good few hours to make the curtains. Then we’ll stock Hawk with all its goodies and take some photographs to show you how smart she’s looking.

We’re planning to launch Hawk onto the Mon & Brec canal on Thursday 5th March before giving her a trial run. A long-standing friend will take the place of Alasdair’s late father and put Hawk through her paces at the grand speed of 2mph. He’ll pull/twist/move/try everything on the narrowboat to check that it does the job it’s intended for, and goes back into its original place. Rather like a Swiss army knife.

Keep an eye on Hawk’s listing on our website and you’ll be one of the first to see the finished photographs. 

New luxury narrowboat Hawk is almost ready

Here are five things that we think you don’t need to take on a canal holiday. If you’re expected to take these, perhaps you’re booking the wrong narrowboat.

Please don’t take your hairdryer on your canal boat holiday. It’s not that we’re expecting you to go ‘au naturel’ on holiday. It’s simply that many hairdryers are far too powerful to work with the electricity supply on board so each of our narrowboats is equipped with a suitable hairdryer. On the other hand, the canal boat’s electricity supply will power the many other appliances you may wish to bring with you, including mobile-phone chargers, laptop, tablet, camera chargers, game consoles and hair straighteners.

Why take up unnecessary space on board your narrowboat with empty suitcases? We recommend that you take your luggage onboard and unpack before setting off on your cruise. That way, empty luggage can be left in your vehicle, parked close to the wharf. Alternatively, if you’re not travelling from overseas, you may find it suitable to pack your belongings in soft foldable bags which are easily stored. When designing our narrow boats we maximise storage space so you’ll find easy access pull-out storage under every bed and settee, in addition to cupboards, wardrobes and shelves.

How often have you wanted to make a decent meal on holiday only to find that there’s a distinct lack of kitchen utensils? We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with our kitchens. No one needs to bring a garlic press onto our narrowboats because each galley has one, along with properly-sharpened knives and scissors, a corkscrew/bottle opener, a cafetière and egg cups for breakfast. Our high-spec kitchens (or 'galleys' as they are known on boats) are equipped with a full-size fridge and cooker, microwave, Dualit toaster and plenty of roasting tins, pots and pans to keep even the most demanding chef happy. In case you have guests over for a meal, we even supply crockery, cutlery and glasses for two extra place settings above the maximum capacity of the canalboat.

As we’ve said before, we choose products that we are happy to use ourselves. So in our narrowboats and cottages you’ll find luxurious Gilchrist & Soames toiletries. They blend rich English formulations and botanical ingredients to create hair, bath and body products with delicious aromas. Also, don’t worry that you’ll have just one or two measly sachets; we provide oodles of shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap and hand & body lotion, along with fluffy white towels so you’ll feel utterly pampered every day of your holiday. And if you choose our canal boat Owl, with its on-deck hot-tub, we provide robes as well.

While you might enjoy reading some guidebooks about the Brecon Beacons or the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal before you come on holiday, we don’t think you’ll need to bring them with you. We’ve listened to what guests have told us, and provide a comprehensive range of information on board including:

·         Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps

·         Emergency services e.g. doctors, dentists, hospitals, vets

We’re confident that the visitor information we provide is accurate and relevant. It includes the important bits that only a local may think to tell you, in addition to authoritative OS maps. To whet your appetite before you arrive, we’ll send you a copy of John Norris' indispensable guidebook 'The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal' and our recommended itineraries to help you get the most out of your holiday.

5 things not to take on a canal holiday

Read more about Michael's illustrations along the Mon & Brec canal

We are so sad to hear that our very good friend and talented artist Michael Blackmore has passed away.

A keen historian, Michael was much in demand as an illustrator of historic scenes, producing work for the likes of Blaenavon World Heritage Site, Brecon Beacons National Park, British Waterways, Canal & River Trust and best-selling author Alexander Cordell. His detailed studies bring to life forgotten locations that were once bustling centres of activity during the Industrial Revolution.

Born in Abergavenny, Michael was a self-taught artist, honing his skills first as an apprentice lithographer with a local printing firm, then as part of the map production unit in The School of Royal Military Survey during his national service. He had a lifelong love of steam trains, which often appear in his work, and a passion for industrial archaeology which led him to specialise in recreating scenes from the past.

Attracted to his style some years ago, we began collecting Michael’s works of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. A friendship developed from there and we commissioned several new pieces including an illustration of Llanfoist Wharf which hangs proudly in our office. You'll also find prints of his work in our two holiday cottages. 

Then in 2012, prompted by the bicentenary of the opening of the canal, we teamed up with Michael to publish a book containing some forty illustrations of his beloved Mon & Brec through its two centuries of development. His painstaking research enabled him to produce detailed scenes depicting the scale of the engineering projects involved in the canal’s construction, the decline of the waterway as steam locomotives offered a faster method of transportation, and the Mon & Brec’s subsequent regeneration as a tourism asset.

Michael will be sorely missed but his artist legacy will continue to inspire people.

Remembering artist and friend Michael Blackmore

As expected, our friend Father Christmas is having a pretty hectic time at the moment in the run-up to Christmas. Hundreds of excited children and eager parents are visiting him each day in magical Lapland. No doubt he’s already looking forward to his annual summer break!

But just where in the world does Father Christmas go on holiday? We can let you into a secret - he cruises the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal on one of our luxury narrowboats. He usually arrives in early summer wearing his favourite outfit, which always attracts a few bemused glances from other boaters and walkers on the towpath.

Along with his close friends from Lapland, Father Christmas has been visiting us for a number of years, and always leaves refreshed, ready for another busy December. The relaxed pace of life in the Brecon Beacons is a major attraction for them, along with the sumptuous beds, immaculate bathrooms and high-spec kitchens on our fleet of narrow boats.

Like all our loyal customers who’ve booked 50 or more nights with Beacon Park, he’s just been invited back for a complimentary short break in one of our luxury cottages. So don’t be surprised if you see a bearded man in a red suit relaxing on the canalside. Which cottage do you think he’ll choose – Wharfinger’s or Incline?

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